SPACECRAFT AND EXPENDABLE VEHICLES STATUS REPORT
July 31, 2002
George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center
321/867-2468
MISSION: Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX)
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Pegasus XL
LAUNCH SITE: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: Oct. 17, 2002 NET
LAUNCH WINDOW: TBD
The GALEX spacecraft is at the Orbital Space Systems Group
facility in Dulles, Virginia, and is expected to arrive at KSC to begin
final processing no earlier than August 26. The decision to make some
hardware and software changes to the spacecraft's logic unit has been
implemented and testing is under way.
Meanwhile, in California at Vandenberg Air Force Base, the Pegasus
XL launch vehicle has completed processing and is ready for ferry to KSC on
the Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft. This is planned for September 13 but
is predicated on the arrival of the spacecraft at KSC as currently
scheduled.
MISSION: Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-J (TDRS-J)
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Lockheed Martin Atlas IIA (AC-144)
LAUNCH SITE: Pad 36-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: October 29, 2002 NET
LAUNCH WINDOW: TBD
The TDRS-J spacecraft is currently planned to arrive at Kennedy
Space Center from the Boeing Satellite Systems plant in El Segundo,
California, no earlier than September 26.
The Lockheed Martin Atlas II launch vehicle is at the factory in
Denver, Colorado, undergoing final assembly. The arrival date of the
booster at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is under review.
MISSION: Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE)
LAUNCH VEHICLE: Pegasus XL
LAUNCH LOCATION: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
LAUNCH DATE: December 1, 2002
LAUNCH WINDOW: TBD
SORCE is at the Orbital Space Systems Group spacecraft facility in
Dulles, Virginia, undergoing environmental testing. The spacecraft is
scheduled to arrive at Kennedy Space Center to begin final processing on
October 25.
The Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle is undergoing
buildup and testing at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Two Flight Simulation
tests are scheduled while the vehicle is in California. Flight Simulation
No. 1 is scheduled for October 1 and will be followed by Flight Simulation
No. 2 on October 9.
The Pegasus is scheduled for ferry to Cape Canaveral using the
Orbital Sciences L-1011 aircraft on October 28.
Three Flight Simulation tests are also planned at KSC prior to
launch and are scheduled to occur on November 1, November 8 and November 18.
There are no significant issues or concerns at this time.
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